Sonata of the Sheikah
by Valeria Novak
Summary: The genocide of the Sheikah during the aftermath of the Hylian Civil War.
1. Prologue

_The aftermath of the Great Hylian War left a world ravaged in chaos and shadow. During this war the Sheikah had turned against the Royal Family, whom they swore to protect, the Hylian Royals had allied themselves with the King of Thieves; Ganondorf, in an effort to quickly end the war. This was seen by the Sheikah to be the greatest of insults, from this many Sheikah had turned against they're former allies, massacring and slaughtering many Hylians in their anger.  
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_With the defeat of the Twili by the combined Gerudo and Hylian forces the Royal Family ordered a great purge to be carried out upon the treacherous Sheikah for their part in the war. A second war had overtaken the region before the dust of the first had settled, many Sheikah villages were destroyed along with their inhabitants, thousands of were taken prisoner by the Hylians. The Sheikah became divided once again as those that remained loyal to Hyrule saw the genocide of their own people. The camps were overseen by a number of different races, predominantly the Hylian and Zoras watched over the camps in the South.  
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_The camps located in the north were under the watch of few Hylians and the "Loyalist" Sheikah. The Sheikah held in the camps throughout the region would all be relocated to the Camp north of Kakariko; the relocation would be done in phases to lesson panic. Groups of hundreds were sent to Kakariko, however as the War intensified against the traitor Sheikah more were rounded up and sent to Kakariko for holding.  
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_Despite the claim the camp was for the protection of the Sheikah from their traitor clansmen, rumours of widespread massacres and prisoner torture surfaced amongst the imprisoned population. The field executions of "spies" and dissidents by Hylian and Loyalist forces was becoming more and more open as the war drew more and more into a bloodbath. The rumours of Kakariko spread fear amongst the "Traitor" Sheikah; the most harrowing of these are sayings of a massive underground complex dedicated to torture and murder, and a boat which will ferry the betrayers of Hyrule to Hell to pay for their crimes.  
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_At Camp Hylia, Group 304 awaits transportation to Kakariko. Out of the camps former size of two hundred and twenty-six, only forty remain the final prisoners of Camp Hylia before it is shut down. The most notable of this group of Sheikah, Prisoner #1848, a young musician from a village outside of Kakariko, his role in history shall play an important part in things to come…_


	2. Chapter 1

Today we were told we would be sent to Kakariko, a sense of dread consumed the faces of my fellow prisoners, many of the young girls held tight on the men. The men did not speak, hiding their sorrows beneath a calm face, we had been held in the camp located near Lake Hyrule for weeks now, the Zora guards were much nicer than the Hylian soldiers before. I had heard the rumours of Kakariko but never believed them, a "Boat to hell" and a "Man who sees all" was just ridiculous, then again I refuse to believe many of my Clan's customs and beliefs.

I'm a musician not a Sheik; even amongst my people I am considered an outsider, rejecting magic and our oath to the Royal Family, the latter probably my reason for being held with the rest of these traitors. I was captured along with my family trying to flee into the forest, we were betrayed by a group of spies within our group and ambushed by the Hylians, that was the last time I had seen my family, I was able to guard my younger sister though and helped her escape the ambush. Many of the group tried to fight back but were killed by the Hylian Knights; I can still remember their shields dripping in blood, the "Holy" Triforce stained red by Sheikah blood.

"You think the rumours are true?" Prisoner #2134 whispers to #1111 "you know about Kakariko, I heard its run by Loyalists"

"Yeah so? I already know that, I used to live there you know" #1111 he shrugs off the teenager

"What really?" #2134's voice cracks slightly "what'sitlikearetherumourstrue?" he swiftly mumbles unintelligibly"

"Slow down kid" we all start walking back to our barracks, "listen I'm sure the rumours aren't true, there's nothing there cept a windmill and a volcano"

The shimmering lake looked beautiful at dusk, the pink sky reflecting off of the water and the tranquil silence of everything amazed me. I had never seen Lake Hylia, my family had grown up near the Kokiri forest, my father would tell me of Hyrule every night, he had travelled all across the land and to places beyond. Stories of a land in the clouds, and a world of four elements, he amazed me with his knowledge of the world, I wished to be like him, I remember him returning once from Kakariko with a strange instrument he called a "Drum".

The drum was beautiful, the sounds it made were completely new to me, he gave this wondrous instrument to me and told me how to play. It was so simple and amazing at the same time, just patting and banging your hands along the edges of the drum, I would play this by the fire and my sister would become possessed. Her voice would resonate and drone a beautiful and dark sound that would consume us, we would all become one with the music and magic, the universe would begin and end at the centre of the drum.

My family loved Hyrule, my Father was angered by the Hylians alliance with the Gerudo but he was far from the other Sheikah in the village. A group of Sheikah warriors once came into our village, they tried to drag off some of the boys and girls back with them, my father and mother were the only ones who stood up to them, one of the soldiers tried to kill one of the girls. My father was forced to kill the soldier, I remember it in detail.

He screamed at the soldier to stop, the soldier pressed his knife against the girls stomach, in order to stop him my father had to use magic. A dark light swirled from his hand, the bolt of energy was hurled towards the soldier, a burst of light blinded the scene. The result continues to disturb me to this day, the soldier had not died, but destroyed. His eyes had burst apart and much of his flesh flayed off of his bones, all he could do was scream, his throat had been ripped open and the garbled screams began to scratch and sludge as his body melted from the magical bolt.

This was only days before we had been ambushed, almost immediately after this incident he instructed that we would be leaving. Many villagers sided with my father and packed up, for much of the journey he would never speak, only to tell us where we would be going. He would always tell us the consequences that the use of magic would bring to the Sheikah… that true magic was found in the world around us.

The soldiers who brought us to the Camp Hylia told us that we would be released soon once the war was over, yet I have seen little of this "War" with which they speak. We were told that the Twili were the enemies to all the people of Hyrule, but they are not the ones joining sides with the Nation of Thieves. The Hylians look down upon us Sheikah, as lower people, many only become servants to rich Hylians or Royals, maybe the rumours of Kakariko are true, that they are trying to get rid of us.

The pink sky shades over into a dark purple, the stars shining bright in the darkened sky, I look out onto the lake through the wire mesh. I watch the Zoras patrolling along the outside, I'm starting to realise that I'm on the other side of the fence, that I have no control over anything anymore, that watching the beauty of the sunset on the lack is not my will. I'm trapped, accused of crimes I did not commit, or even know are true… I just hope my sister is okay, alone in those woods.

The barracks was filled with whispers, people were afraid to talk aloud fearing the guards who would be listening. There was a mother in our group; she was quite young only a few years older than me, she had two children with her both twin brother and sister. I remember when we were told of Kakariko she had broke down crying, holding both her children, she had been separated from her husband and was lucky to have had both her children with her for so long.

Her children were strangely upbeat about nearly everything, chalk it up to their youthful ignorance but it was strange to see them behave in such ways. They would always try to play with the guards, the Hylians would bully them but the Zoras tended to be more than friendly with them, even letting them swim in the lake and play out in the field. I can here the soldiers preparing the horses and carriages for tomorrow, there's not very many of us, only forty-three left, we're the last to leave this camp before its shut down. Seeing as everyone before us was sent to Kakariko I can only hope my family will be amongst the rest there. "LIGHTS OUT" the Camp Master shouts throughout the camp, I can only just rest my head now against this pillow and hope for the best.

"WAAAAAAAAKE UP" the voice roars through the barracks, a Knight bangs his sword against his shield and marches up and down the barrack "YOU ALL! HAVE FIVE MINUTES! TO GRAB YOUR BELONGINGS AND MEET OUTSIDE!" He kicks a few of the beds and pulls people out of their beds. The young girl begins to cry and scream at the racket, the mother hushes her quickly trying desperately to gather her things and deal with the children.

I have only one belonging; the drum lies in my rucksack the Eye of Sheikah printed on the centre of the drum. I tie the bag close and pull the strap over my head; I feel the weight of the drum against my thigh, I march out of the barrack ignoring the people still in panic trying to gather their lives. The sky outside was a dark red, it was very early in the morning and the sunlight had not yet reached Lake Hylia

We lined up in four lines of ten, the Hylian Camp Master observed us rushing into line, he stood a head shorter than most of us, keeping a fair distance to keep from looking up at us. We were inferior to the Hylians; a Sheikah should not look down on a Hylian regardless of height. He marched along the line inspecting each one with his eyes, making a full inspection he returned to the centre of the group "TODAY" he shouted beginning his speech "Is the last time that you'll be here, you are the LAAST group to be interned in Camp Hylia, you should be proud" he smiled at the hilarity of his humour "when and only WHEN I have dismissed you, shall you march out of the gate and too the awaiting carriages! From there you shall be transported to Camp Kakariko, where you will be housed for the duration of the War" he paused and scanned the rows of Sheikah before him; we all stood silent watching him.

His eyes scanned back and forth, the silence was deafening and long, we all stood silent, the sounds of the morning broke apart the long quiet. His eyes, the blue eyes shimmered ever so subtly; he covered his mouth and whispered something trying to keep a tear from rolling out of the corner of his eye. He sniffed the tear back, dropped his hand "GROUP THREE-OH-FOUR" he snapped to attention, his voice filling the camp "DIS-MISSED". Upon his final order the gates flung open and we were quickly rushed towards the waiting wagons, the Camp Guards looked at us walking away, keeping their knowledge of what will happen to us, refusing to show emotion or express opinion in their face.

The children waved goodbye to the soldiers from the back of the wagon, the soldiers all stand out the front of the camp waving back. A group of Zoras pass by waving goodbye as well, the kids shout "BYE HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN BIG SISTERS" at the smiling Zoras, "GOOD LUCK" a Zora shouts, we'll need it. The road out of the Lake Hylia region was bumpy, I could see the field again and we were approaching the gateway.

"Sure are a lot of soldiers" #2134 murmurs, many were Hylian and Zora. There was one who watched us; his uniform was marked with a large red Eye of the Sheikah, with a large tear beneath the eye. "Loyalists" #2134 spits out the side of wagon in disgust. The soldier's red eyes stared at us, his hatred of us was almost equal with that of ours for him, he wore his mark as an insult to the Old tribe, times have changed. His eyes fixated on the purple and red armbands we wore, bearing the "Eye of the Traitor" something the Hylian who issued it to me remarked on my first day in these camps.

Passing out of the gate and into Hyrule field the morning light had passed over much of the region; it was almost serene seeing the butterflies float in the spring air. This serenity would not last as the large patrols of soldiers, stacking bodies onto bon fires and the rows of prisoners lined up along the ground brought us back into the war. The war had been raging for weeks now, nobody bothered to clean up the bodies of the last one, along the road we passed the corpse of a soldier: impaled by a Twili sword, flies eating off his bloated flesh almost on the verge of bursting open.

The mother next to me shielded her children's eyes from the carnage around us, hiding them within her lap and gently caressing their hair. "By the Goddesses" #1111 remarked in awe at rampaging fire off in the distance "that's the Kokiri Forest isn't it?" his started to panic "it is! What are they doing?" he yells trying to gather breath.

"Calm down, Son!" #2134 grabs hold of #1111 "help me out here!" he shouts to Prisoner #0367, they both hold down the teenager struggling to breath.

"I DON'T WANT TO DIE PLEASE TELL THEM TO STOP! JUST STOP" he screams into #2134's coat, tears pouring out his eyes

"Tell him to be quiet!" the mother quietly grunts trying to keep her children calm

"SHUT UP ALL OF YOU" the Guard shouts from the passenger seat of the wagon, he then takes another look back at the scene "What's wrong with him?" he lowers his voice trying to control the situation.

"Please stop, please… just stop!" the boy mumbles over and over, closing his eyes and sobbing into #2134's arm.

"Its okay boy, you'll be fine, you'll be fine" #2134 wraps his arm around the boy's shoulders and pulls him closer "you'll get through this" he nods to the Guard who silently nods back before turning back around.

The burning forest, my sister is there, I hope she's okay. I wish I could just jump out of this wagon and run out and find her, maybe she's trapped in those burning woods right now alone and scared. She needs her big brother, why! Why didn't I leave her alone like that? No, I made the right choice, she couldn't have ended up in these camps, I've seen what some of these guards are capable of and I will never allow such harm to befall her. I have to stay calm, this will all be over soon I just have to wait, maybe I'll find my parents at Kakariko, or maybe they were able to escape with my sister. I just hope they're all okay.

The burning fire continues on its path, and so do we. Only an hour or so till we reach Kakariko, I can see it off in the distance along with the capital; the sun was now above the horizon and spread its light across the land of Hyrule. We pass on by a group of refugees being inspected by a Hylian patrol; soldiers would examine the eyes of the person to locate any Sheikah, loyalists would be used by these patrols in case the person had used magic to alter their eye colour. I noticed one of the refugees being pulled away by one of the soldiers, screaming for forgiveness and pleading for mercy, since we were being relocated to Kakariko this signalled an end to internment and prisoner taking, their was not going to be anymore mercy.

"Lucky bastard" #1123 sighs watching the screaming man's execution, a quick thrust in and out of the neck and he was done.

"I still don't think it's true" #0367 boasts to #1123 "the Royal's aren't gonna abandon us like this, they'll be needing us" he leans over and rests his arms on his thighs

"Yeah right, the Royal's are gonna kill all of us cept the loyalist scumbags" #1123 snarks at #0367's attempt to stay positive "Hylians fear us to much, we know what lurks in their shadows, all of this" he lifts his arms presenting the savage land surrounding us "this is the Hyrule of the Hylians"

"Pfft! You don't know what you're on about" #0367 waves off #1123's rant "the Hylians are gonna need us back once that punk Ganondorf turns on them, besides Impa wouldn't allow this to happen to us"

"Impa's just the King's lap dog; she'll do anything he says she doesn't care about us" #1123 snaps back at #0367

"I've been in here longer than you have I think I know what I'm talking about here, we'll be fine. Once we get to Kakariko everything's going to be alright" he tries to reassure the wagon of worried faces with a smile

"You can't honestly believe that" #1123 groans in annoyance "the Royal Family are going to kill us they've been planning this all along, they want to wipe out all that lurk in the shadows!" his voice started to quicken and grow louder "they did this to the Twili, and they're doing it to us! The loyalists will be next, and then the Gerudo, the Zora, the Gorans" he started shake and twitch, the children started to cry "They'll KILL EVERYONE"

"SHUT UP BACK THERE" the Guard shouted back at us

I lean out from my seat and look at the man holding his head beneath his knees "Look at me" I demand, he timidly raises his head until his eyes reach mine "you're not going to get through this, unless you: Stay. Calm. You understand?" he silently nods his head and slowly regains his composure. "We're almost there, you guys just need to stay calm and we'll get through this I know it" the people in this wagon all look towards me, I didn't want the responsibility of leadership; I just wish my father was here… He'd know what to do "We'll be fine, just have faith" they all nod in silence, the rest of the trip was quiet, not even the other wagons spoke a word.

The wagon convoy turned at the bend in the road to Kakariko, as well cross over the bridge I look down at the water of the river. The water was a light pink, the blood from the decomposing bodies upstream mixed with river water, are these bodies even real anymore? In these long months it seems that wherever I go there are always bodies, they follow me no matter where I go. Hylian, Twili, Sheikah, Zora, Gerudo, it's all the same in the end. They're no longer people, instead they just become a part of the scenery of this place… I look back at the scarred field of Hyrule and see this world slipping away into darkness, this land does not have long.

The convoy begins to move up the rough incline toward our new home, I can see the fear grow worse on the people's faces. The build up and anxiety was tearing at their souls, indeed the overall mysterious horror of this familiar place is what disturbs u all. Kakariko was founded by the Sheikah, and while it is still under construction it is our home, well; that is what we're told. That this was all for our own safety, to "Protect" us from the war but we all know these lies, we accept our fate, we must stay calm.

As we approached the gate of Kakariko we passed by the banners of the loyalists, the single tear wept at the sight of us. The village was filled with Loyalists and Hylians, they all stared at our passing, watching us being paraded through the centre of the town. I noticed many other Sheikah toiling away at the top of the hill, I could not make out what it was that they were constructing, others were working on laying stone and brick, they wore the same armbands as we did, their's were different. The workers wore a white armband with the red Eye of the Traitor, crossed out by two red marks painted across the Eye.

This was home, beneath the ominous volcano of Death Mountain we had arrived. The convoy twisted around a corner and then another. Something I had failed to notice upon our arrival was a house, already built it was constructed in the centre of the town beneath the hill above and overlooked the entrance to the town. I felt an immense sense of dread resonate from that house, there was just something wrong, like it was not a part of this world but from a place much, much darker than this world.

The sun was directly over the world now, the bright blue of the endless ocean of sky shone down upon us. Even in times of great sorrow, it seems the sky will always be untouched by pain caused by mortals. We were but seconds away from the camp, I gripped the legs of my pants and mumbled a pray to myself; bracing for the horror, or the relief.


	3. Chapter 2

"**FREEDOM THROUGH WORK**" the large wooden sign above the gate announces itself to us, the wagons all position themselves side by side out the front of the camp not far from the entrance. From where I could see there was no one in the camp spare a few Guards, maybe they were in the barracks? I couldn't tell from my seat in the wagon. It was midday, my stomach was growling; I need to eat something, we've been sitting in these wagons for almost an hour now. The Hylians said they would return in a few minutes but have yet to come back, no one was allowed to move from their seat, the Loyalist guards circled back and forth across the wagon line, every time taking a pause to toy with anyone in the wagon watching them.

The sun's heat was boiling my brain, my head felt like it was about to explode, I could see everyone else was struggling around me. The young mother with us was the most affected, her children pulled at her skirt wanting food and water, the mother's eyes were tired and bloodshot from the lack of sleep. "Hey guys just let your mother relax for a moment" I have to intervene "listen up, if you guys are really good and be extra quiet for your mother I'll show you guys something awesome later"

"AWESOME" the both cheer raising their arms, they shut their mouths and cup their hands around them and whisper "Awesome"

"So you guys promise?" I ask sternly, to which they both nod with a giddy smile on their faces

The mother strained to keep her eyes open, he lips struggling to smile "Thank you" her faint voice struggled to leave her throat. She smiled at me, her lips wind chapped and eyes bloodshot, she had not slept in weeks to keep her children safe from camp to camp; she would always give her ration to the twins trying to keep the family together.

I was amazed at this woman, barely my senior she is able to stay stronger than most of the men. Taking care of two children in places like this, without a father or anyone else helping her, she truly was- "EVERYONE OUT NOW GET OUT NOW OUT!" Loyalist guards barged their way up onto the wagons and started to drag and push people off and into the dirt. People screamed at the guards trying to reason and calmly get off, such is life, when some one has power of you there's little point in logic and reason.

They forced us onto our knees in the dirt, the Hylians watched us from a distance; observing and laughing at the savage behaviour of the Sheikah, acting like they had not committed the same crimes less than a year ago. A Loyalist would go through each row, smacking the back of our head then forcing our hands against it, pressing our heads toward the ground to not look at them.

After the Loyalist finished his inspection a loud roar boomed before us "WELCOME HOME" his voice was proud at the sight of traitor prisoners before him "NOW" he paused to spit down on one of the prisoners in the first row "When and only WHEN I instruct you to move, you will pick yourselves up and march through the camp gate ON MY COMMAND"

"Uh-umm… Uhmm s-sir, um" a familiar voice whimpered next to me "Wh-wh-what d-do we do w-with um our… our beh-belongings" it was #1111, he could barely speak in fear of retribution yet he chose to.

"Bring him over here" the Loyalist ordered. I could here the scuffling of his shoes on the dirt and being pushed through the rows. "Now…" that sadistic voice, every syllable of it was a torment "you were saying, Son?"

"No, I-I wasn't saying ah, n-nothing, I wasn't saying nothing" #1111 nervously laughed at the end of his sentence

"NOOOO COME ON NOW WHAT DID YOU WANT? ANYTHING FOR YOU, SON!" the arrogant boast was followed by a loud slap against the shoulder

"Oh ow, s-stop plea-please ha ha" #1111 struggled as the slaps grew louder and heavier

"Just tell me son I won't bite"

"I was just wanting to ask if…"

"Yeees?"

"If we take our luggage with us" #1111 collected his voice and asked a question he obviously regrets ever asking

"Is that all?" the arrogant voice asked

"Y-yes, that's all, S-sir" his voice broke again into a stutter

"Oh don't worry boy, you won't be worrying about your luggage, in fact I'LL personally handle it" the man sadistically laughed "Everyone else may take their luggage with them, I'll make sure your's is returned to you PERSONALLY" this was horse shit

"Oh, ha aha, thank you sir thank you, very much ha ha" #1111 knew exactly what the Arrogant Loyal meant, all he could do was pretend to be an idiotic weakling

"My, pleasure. Son" I could hear his sadistic smile from where I was kneeling

Once #1111 was dragged back to his seat a short silence followed, broken by the sound of "GROUP" everybody tensed up preparing to rush towards the gate "MOOOVE OUT" an efficient panic followed. Everyone jutted out their hands for whatever luggage was near them and quickly marched off around the trucks.

The camp was everyone's nightmare: empty. We were the only group, we were the last group, everyone else was gone and we can only assume the worst. There were no barracks or shelter for the prisoners, above us was a large slope leading to a dark cave atop the hill, people gathered around what looked like the remains of a fireplace, there were log seats laid around the fireplace for everyone to sit.

People started to yell at each other, men screamed and accused one other. The Women tried to calm down the men, the Loyalists watched from the barracks at the "entertainment" of our suffering.

"What are we going to do?"

"This is it! I TOLD YOU this is it, we're done, they're going to slaughter us" people shouted and swore at #1123's panicky theories

"YOU SAW THOSE PEOPLE IN THE VILAGGE! Maybe they'll just use us as workers?" #0367 tried to quell the arguing, trying to get people to agree with him. It wasn't working.

The mother had taken her two children away from the bickering near a small shack near the camp's fence. I ignored all the bickering, I would deal with it later, I had to check up on her.

"HEY MAN DID YOU SEE THIS KID OUT THERE HA HA" #2134 laughed uproariously, rubbing #1111's hair with his knuckles. "The lil bastard did it, he tricked those jerks into letting us keep our luggage" What in the name of the goddesses is he talking about?

"I don't get ya?" I say in confusion, #2134 pulled the boy back up to head level

"See he came up with this plan, he knew those Lap dogs would screw with us" he was stopped by #1111 cutting in

"So I packed all of my stuff with the Old guy here and just put on the waterworks, that moron thought he was pushing me around! Wait till he finds that bag filled with all the cow manure from Camp Hylia AHAHAHA" the two of them both laugh hysterically, holding onto each other trying not to fall over.

I watched this and could feel myself smiling again, and then laughing. I laughed at it, it was hilarious, I just laughed and laughed with these two. Laughing at the Guards, the barbed fence and the entire situation, it was just funny. Everything happening right now, it was just as stupid and hilarious as their prank on the Loyalist, tears rolled down my eyes in laughter as I looked at the blind and frightened group of people bickering, at that cave that the funniest moment of all this. Was some stupid prank, at the end of the line, and we're all going to die.

Then, I just stopped laughing; it was back to reality again, back to having to help everyone. Having to solve the problems of this blind rabble, maybe the Loyalists view is right, maybe they're the smart ones in all this; I mean they're the ones with the power and control, not us. Certainly not me, I'm trapped in here, trapped by a fence so weak you could cut it using the air, that's how stupid I am. This really is embarrassing, to be held back from life by this measly bit of wire, and even if I do escape where do I go from there? The entire nation of Hyrule is out to kill me, companies of elite soldiers would burn down the entire forest to kill me, hell they might even follow me to Death Mountain.

There's no where to go, there's no point in escape or survival. My family, they're gone, sister was probably killed by that forest fire this morning, or some comfort girl for the Hylians. The stinging sharpness of the barbed wire digs into my fingers, blood dripping down from my fingers and sliding on the wire. I don't think this matters anymore, I should have tried to fight back when I was captured, at least then I could've been killed with the rest of my family. That man today, from the back of my mind it comes to me, I had ignored that scene of today.

Actually, I've ignored everything; I haven't accepted what's actually happening. I am going to die, not through a war or killed by a Hylian, but by my own brothers and sisters. How can something like this happen? I take a look back at the people around the fireplace, they've stopped arguing, instead they sit peacefully trying to get the fire going to cook what little food they have. I look at them and see the last of my kind; the Eye of Sheikah is not desecrated by a tear of sorrow, what have we to be sorry for? That we did not side with evil to defeat a lesser evil? After this, there will be no more Sheikah, only dogs that lick the boot of a corrupt Royalty, what are they even Loyal to?

A bright light shines all across the camp and a great cheer fills the air. It was settling into dusk, the world of light receded behind the hill, even though the pink sky rested above us we stood still in the darkness of the small valley. A gentle force tugged at my sleeve "Hey mister we didn't bother Mama all day like you said, we were really good" the young boy cuts in with "Yeah really good" I look over by the shed to see the mother sleeping on a pile of bags. "Alright I'll give you guys your reward by the fire" the pull both of my sleeves and rush me to the fire.

"HERE HE IS" some one cheers at my presence

"Come on mister where's our reward?" the girl demands pulling at my shirt

"Yeah REWARD REWARD!" the group starts to chant and laugh

"Alright hold on" I undo the leather-lock of the back and pull out the drum "Right here" I smile tapping my fingers along the centre

"What's that?" the children say in unison

"A drum, actually a bongo drum. My father gave this to me" I smile trying to stop myself from telling my life story

"Well play it son we ain't got forever you know" #2134 shouts behind the fire

"Alright but I'm gonna need silence here" I say scanning my hand over the large group of people "I never performed for an audience before. Don't expect any free shows just because it's my first concert" I joke, everyone lets out a friendly laugh.

The camp fell dead silent, their eyes fixated upon my hands laying upon the drum. I close my eyes and seal off the world, the universe ended and began within the drum and I was master of this universe. I begin with a loud bass slap with my right hand, a pause then I would pound with my left thrice, slowly building up a rhythm and beat that grew louder and faster with each slap. The beat was now fast and loud, resonating within the circle I slowed down and would slap the centre with my hand and use my other to strike at the rim with my fingers. Within the crowd I heard an ominous chant, they began to join in and become one with the beat of the bongo.

The rhythm was faster than anything I ever heard before; the chanting grew louder and louder trying to match the beat. My mind began to open, my hands played faster and faster, the beat bouncing off of the valley walls and echoing throughout the land of Hyrule. The voice of every Sheikah sung out from their throats in a chant that came from the very soul of my people, I drifted out of this body and was now outside. I was on the other side of the fence, I watched as the people danced and roared around the fire, the "Loyalists" watched in awe on their knees, their mouths agape and their vocal chords moaning out at the universe with their brethren. All Sheikah had become one, their souls I could feel within my chest, the universe revolved around that one man by the fire, beating on the drum, his eyes closed, listening to the sound of the universe.

"So you finally show yourself young one" a sinister voice chuckles from behind me

I turn quickly "Who are-" this man, no… This presence I had felt it before "You" he smiled at my sudden understanding

"I have waited very long to meet my child" the man before me, he was a Sheikah. His clothes, they stood out with its silken purple and red lined robe, but he was almost unnoticeable to the naked eye "you may wonder why it is that you are here my child, well I happen to have answer for you" the hood cast a shadow over his eyes, a large white grin was the only thing that appeared from the shadow

"How do you know this? And a better question where am I?" I redirect suddenly looking around at my surroundings, empty. I was somewhere light will never reach.

"You are home my dear child" he smiles, the only thing that escapes the shadow was his smile

"Where is "Home" exactly?"

"A lost child who does not know his own home is rather troublesome don't you think?" he laughs awkwardly

"Enough with the riddles. What do you want?" I snap, brining his chuckle to a stop

"Do not be so brash my child. All will be understood soon, come to me tomorrow at my home, matters such as these must not be talked about in… A place, so open to the public" he slurps up his last line "If you understand my meaning, Child. We will consult later, tomorrow, of course…"

He begins to drift off into the shadows; I nod in agreement before he fully dissolves away. I can hear the beat of the drums slowly return to my ears, the black world imploded before my eyes. Life was seen through my mortal eyes again, I had regained control, and slowed down the beat and rhythm. The people around me had stopped chanting, they went blank, gently resting their heads against the ground together around the fireplace.

What he said, do I know where my home is? He better have a good answer for all of this, there's something far more sinister behind this War.


	4. Chapter 3

A warm breeze touched and gently brushed across my face, I could feel the soft sharpness of grass pressed against my skin. This place was beautiful; an untouched world far from the realm of the living, a place such as this could not exist anywhere else. The sound of cicada's road across the gentle winds, leaves quietly rustled and shivered in the wind.

I open my eyes to see this beautiful world. Nothing, there was nothing… No sun, no wind, I was nowhere. I raised my hands in front of me, there was nothing but black, the sounds of cicadas were replaced with the screams of agony and horror. The screams echoed through the walls of stone, they began to moan and wail to the call of a bongo drum. It would beat with every chant of pain, the stone walls beginning to bleed and ooze into the corridors, rivers of red flowed in the centre.

A great mouth stood before me across a mighty chasm. Its tongue rolled out in delight and hunger for the souls of the damned, the moans and wails poured out from its throat, shadows of monsters twisted and danced in the burning halls of its bowels. They're bodies; thin and lanky, twisted into odd shapes and contorted in even stranger angles, they're limbs melting in the burning fires. Twisted devices of steel cut apart the shadows, splattering their insides across the stone walls, fires rage through this place and burnt the dismembered shadow's corpses in large bowls that would be mixed and stirred.

Monsters ripped open terrified Shadows, their screams and cries echoed in the bone filled rooms as the monster would devour them one by one. Cracking open bodies, their bones snapping out and tearing open the flesh, white marrow dripped from the corpse and mixed with the pools of blood beneath it. The Monster would hold the shadow by both ends of its limbs, then biting and ripping into the screeching shadow, the teeth gnashing and chomping the flesh and bone, cleaning the entire body of flesh. Its gigantic mouth showed nothing but its blood stained teeth; this pale, fat and bleeding monstrosity without lips would constantly grin, then open its mouth wide and bite the shadows apart.

Shadow's trying to escape would claw and bang on the iron bars and stone walls of the room, digging desperately into the stone, splitting their nails apart in their fear of the Pale monster. Hands wound rise out of the floor and drag off the screaming shadow's, crying for their lives to be spared of the horror. The arms would splatter their bodies across the already bloody walls, decapitating the shadows as they're bodies splashed apart with each slam. Others would be twisted and wringed until they broke open and spilled out onto the ground, it would consume everything within the room. The Monster would burrow back beneath the floor of bones after its rampage, leaving a room dripping in freshly painted blood.

Deeper and deeper into this Stone monster, more instruments of bloodshed appeared out from the walls. Shadows were herded into steel cages were upon so the roof would smash down on to them, the sharpened blades puncturing through the Shadows. Still alive they were dragged back up to the roof, the blades still stuck deep into them, the roof would smash back into the floor. Breaking apart their bodies and crushing them into paste, the steel rain would repeat onto the mass of bodies, mashing them until there was a pile of sticky red mash that stuck to the blades and pulled the goo up with the ascending blade.

All this time I would hear it, the droning beat of the drum echoing throughout the complex. No matter which room you were in it was always there, it would call to you from the darkest shadows of this world. I could feel this drum, it was not a part of this place, the sound of it came from within me, calling me and dragging me deeper through this horrific place. Its echo resonated from my chest, my heart beating alongside it. I marched further and further through this place, until I reached the end of the place, and stood before the exit of this world.

The dark boat before me, the bells chiming at my arrival in cheerful delight, waiting for me to step aboard. I looked down at the bridge I stood on, the Eye of Sheikah lay beneath my feet, its eye crying a single tear of blood, the bells continued to chime louder, urging me to come aboard. My legs trembled in fear, with each chime I could feel my heart pound louder, the beat of the drum intensified, growing louder and louder and louder, screaming at me to enter the shadows. The large wall of black shadow, my hands shook violently, the bell chimed again, ringing through my ears, the drum calling for me over and over, my heart beat violently, fear leaking out of every pore, my body was breaking down, the fear of what lurked beyond those shadows, I could not think, I…

"RISE AND SHINE" a voice broke me free of my nightmare only to present me with reality "MORNING INSPECTION GET UP NOW" a group of Loyalists walked amongst us, kicking and pulling people out of their slumber. The guards were much nicer to us on our second day, allowing us to stand in our lines rather than kneel, it was still very early in the morning and the darkness of the small valley made it impossible to make out one's location. I noticed the sound of marching to my left, small lanterns illuminated the depressed marchers; they were the workers we had seen before marching out of the gate. Their faces glum and emotionless, the bones of their cheeks pointing out from under their thin faces.

After the camp Commander finished shouting roll call he told us what our new lives would entail: "Welcome to your new home, I hope you enjoyed your sleep at our lovely camp" he started the speech with some light humour "Starting today you will be working to rebuild Kakariko along with the others, you will be split into groups of four. When your number is called step; into the respective line and wait to receive your allocated duty" he finishes his opening, then pulling out a clipboard he quickly scans down through its contents and proceeds to shout out each persons number.

I watch as everyone moves into each line, by the end I stand alone in the centre of the camp, I keep my head forward feeling the eyes of everyone else watching me. "Prisoner #1848" the Clipboard shouts out my name "Yes, sir?" I shout back waiting a reply. His head pulls up from the board, those red eyes staring into mine "You have been listened for "Specialist" work" Specialist? Sounds fun "You will remain here until all other groups have left" his eyes broke contact and turned to the other groups, he nodded slightly at the Loyalist group commanders who nodded back.

The groups trudged out the gates and out of the valley, the sky was starting to grow bright and change from dark to a dull pink, the valley's shadow began to lift as well. "What's my duty for today eh? Scrubbing the royal toilet, killing traitors, being a comfort boy?" I smiled cheerfully to the annoyance of the Clipboard.

"You're adorable" he smiled back sarcastically "you won the lottery boy, you get to see the Man" the Clipboard's voice, it was a mix of arrogance and pity, like I was given a fate worse than my own fate now.

"The Man who sees the Truth?" I knew exactly what he was talking about; in fact it was all too obvious this would happen. He nodded back, keeping his eyes fixed on me "Follow me" he said walking across the grounds towards the entrance. "So you know about Him don't you?" Clipboard opens up a dialogue as we walk down the hill, "Who doesn't! The Man's a celebrity 'round these parts" my feign idiocy was beginning to test my captors patience. "Maybe after you're done with being a musician you can be a jester" he snarks back, we exit the valley road and enter the town.

"Hey listen, whatever you do, do not look into his eyes" his voice tensed up as he stared at the door to the house "he can see everything, your past, your future, your soul. He probably sees us right now; he already knows what I say next" he turned back to me "Good luck, my Brother" his voice was sincere and forgiving, this man who's hatred for my kind is beyond reckoning calls me his Brother, I don't know whether to be honoured or find this humiliating to be pitied on by a "Loyalist". "Thanks for the tip, I'll remember it when you kill me" I pat him on the shoulder and walk towards the nice little red brick house of death and despair.

I take a quick and deep breath before opening the door; I could still picture him in my mind, that forever smiling shadow still haunts my mind. Turning the nob I step forth into the house, my boots tapping against the wooden floor I announce my presence to the empty room "Hello!" I open the door further and step into the room. There was a large table in the middle with a lovely vase with a pattern of twisting red and black swirls mixed together to look like the waves of a lake. The vase was placed in the centre above a silken purple table cover, lined with a golden yellow, the centre piece of the cover was the large Crest of the Royal Family, the vase was placed in the middle of the Triforce.

"Welcome, my child" He appears out of the doorway smiling, his clothes had changed, he had changed from the long robe to much slimmer attire. His black clothing hung from his thin body, the sleeves and pant legs were baggy and worn, the hood he wore was grey and the Eye of the Traitor was a few inches above the face of the hood in crimson red, just covering his real eyes. "Please sit, sit" he grins ushering me to the table.

"I'd prefer to stand" my anxiety was getting the better of me

"Oh now don't be like that, please I have dinner ready for us"

"Who has dinner this early in the morning?"

"My child, when you came through that door you ceased to exist in the world of the living"

"I… I don't, what do you mean?"

"Well currently you would be in the gap between dimensions, it is the safest place for us to talk see…" his voice purrs out from that toothy grin of his

"Well if that's the case then I'm sure Dinner in the morning isn't so odd after all" I smile approaching the chair to the right

He laughs at my joke and smiles "Good to see humour come from a man in your position"

An awkward pause comes as we both sit, waiting for the dinner to arrive. I open my mouth to speak but shut it after a strange and emaciated being walks from the doorway, he elegantly places both meals on the table and pours an equal amount of wine into each glass "Thank you, Vritra" He smiles, the strange entity stands in between both of us and bows its head before returning back through the doorway. He turns to me and smiles "Lovely boy that Vritra. Now shall we eat?"

"If you wish" I return the smile. The food was definitely strange for a place such as this, braised cow ribs with honey sauce, the salad was exceptionally fresh. The taste literally melted in my mouth, it had been days since actual food, my last meal was back at Hylia and was little more than a piece of fish with some rice.

"Enjoying the meal?" he asked taking a sip of the Red Wine

"Mmm… Shgood, reawey ghood" I mumble chewing my food, mixing the Red Wine with my meal "the wine is exceptional" I say with a clear mouth

"I'm glad you enjoy it. The wine is actually over a hundred years old you know?"

"Really?" I choke a bit from the surprise

"Yes, it was actually made and bottled in the Gerudo valley"

"Since when did they have vineyards?"

"Oh this was years ago, my Child. Back before this terrible war business and all, the Gerudo were not exactly as they are today, in fact the valley was lush with beautiful grasslands, fields of vineyards and orchards made up what used to be that eye sore of a desert" a feeling of nostalgia surrounds him as he is lost in memories "strange how to think a wine, over a century it has waited, prized by many for it's fine taste and quality. Yet have never tasted it, and now we have both drunk it as if it be like any other wine, curious is it not?"

"Nobles tend to fret over such trivial things, and they call us stupid" I chuckle lightly at the thought

"So true isn't it, not just for Nobles, but for every level of society. The Sheikah are a prime example of this…"

"How would this be?"

"They believe and practice those savage beliefs of the Goddesses, believing they have some divine link with the Shadows of the World, they couldn't be more misguided even if they tried"

"What do you mean by that? The Sheikah have always had a spiritual link to the Shadows"

"Oh my dear boy you do not truly believe such lies do you?" his voice sounded as if it was ready to burst into laughter

"I never really cared for the customs or rituals, but I respected them"

"Ahhh see, that is where you and I are alike my child. We do not believe in their foolish beliefs, because we are their beliefs"

"I don't think I could be arrogant enough to believe myself to be God"

"No no nothing like that, please do not humour me" he takes another sip of the wine "maybe the nobles are right about the wine…" he laughs taking another sip "Now back to our discussion. You see, many Sheikah do not actually have any connection to the Shadows, in fact many cannot acquire the control over the magic that flows in their veins, but people like us can. Only those who look past the lies of this world see the truth, and those that see the truth know of the insanity that is the Sheikah"

"And how exactly do you see the truth, how are you different than the rest?"

He pauses, his smile going to an unfamiliar and disturbing frown, placing the wine glass back onto the table he raises his hands to his head. Gently he pulls the hood back revealing his face. His eyes… Hollow, dark shadows, the blood still wet and fresh around his eye sockets, there was nothing but darkness and the crimson blood that glistened around his eyes. "I have lived blind for over one hundred and fifty six years to this day, never have I known sleep during those years. All I have seen has been the truth, every day is a waking nightmare. The horror of the truth is my torment…"

"How, how did you end up this way?" I stare in awe, deep into those bloody sockets and wait for his response.

"My current form is the result of the Sheikah's ignorance and dedications to those false idols the Hylians call the Goddesses. I was created through the ritual known as "Ascension of Truth" I was to become a "Truthseeker" a man who would see the Shadows of this universe and assist the Hylian Royal Family in their conquest of this world" he took a moment to stop and eat a rib for a moment, somehow they still stayed warm and salad fresh "Vritra makes the best ribs that boy, I don't know what I'd do without that lovely boy" he gives a refreshing smile cleaning off the sauced rib and chewing on a bushel of salad.

He begins to talk again, still with the food in his mouth "The process of this was unknown to me, apparently there had never been a Truthseeker created every year they tried it, stupid isn't it?" he laughed at the idiocy of his past "now what they did, I was Fifteen at the time, would take a young boy from the tribe and bring him to the Temple above the village. That big scary cave, that's where it is, it's something different now but the layout is the same. I would be brought to that place, and there was this room in front of a big stone demon's mouth, tongue sticking out blurgh" he placed his hands in front of his mouth to resemble the tongue.

"There was a big circle with fire posts all around us; I was placed in the centre facing the big mouth. After placing the blade in one of the fires for a few minutes they proceeded with cutting out my eyes" he started to use his hands to show how it was done "The blade would stab through the lid of the eye at the very top, hitting the eye socket. The knife bearer would carve my eye out slowly, cutting off the eyelid till he reached full circle"

His hand slowly reaches for the wine glass, hand shaking slightly he takes a gulp and finishes off the wine "I… can still feel the blade" he carefully touches the rim of his sockets, hands still shaking "the searing heat of the blade, slicing my eyes, I had never known pain like that. The last things I ever saw were those men, wearing those horrific masks. With its golden eye staring into me and laughing with its bloody grin."

"And was that how they made you?"

"No…" he retracted his hands from his face and continued to eat. There was a long silence as we both ate again, the ribs never changing temperature this entire time, after consuming the meal he looked back up at me. "Carving out my eyes was just part of their ritualistic garbage, that my real eyes would not be needed to see the truth. What really changed me was the voice that echoed out from that mouth. After the ritual they left me there; crying and screaming, still covered in my own blood, for days I was trapped in that hell. Then the Voice came forth, it promised me immortality and my sight back, so long as I bound my soul to that place. And well, here I am now"

"This is all interesting, but how does this involve me?" it was interesting but I needed answers

"My child, you have much to learn about our people. But I'm afraid our time is up"

"What do you mean?" I snap angrily

"Our lack of presence in the mortal world is becoming… Noticed, by other powers. But do not fret, I will see you soon, we have much more to discuss, now a bid you good night" he covers his head again in the dark hood, his white grin shining from the shadow.

I needed answers to all of this quickly, but I must stay calm, stay focused. Losing control would only cause more trouble. I pick myself up from the table and bow silently, proceeding out the door I return to Hyrule. The sky was a bright pink as the sun set across the land, I could see the workers returning back to the Camp, and a familiar Loyalist stood waiting for me on the steps in front of the house.


End file.
